I watched a lot of cartoons and movies. I draw incessantly and carry a sketchbook everywhere. I work in animation and self-publish my books. There are monsters in the streets, don't wear red. Mad bulls and monsters hate that color. I still watch cartoons.

Thursday, October 13, 2005

Book sightings



I've taken pictures of my books in stores for years. This is just one of many, obviously. Not that I have many books in so many places, I'm just thrilled each time I see them. Simple joys, okay? That's Lindsey Bear top left. With a name like that you gotta be in a world where stories surround you.

Actually, I knew they would be there. The Pendragon on College Avenue supports local authors and, yes, that includes leetol ol' me. They've carried the last two books and are so nice to deal with. Berkeley independent bookstores are my favorite--and they're close. But I was surprised to see it promently displayed. Warms the heart.

Support your local independent bookstores. Piedmont Avenue has The Spectator and The Black Swan. Close to my favorite coffee (free wireless) shop, Rooz.

Back to reality. I pitched to Herr Direktor and Herr Writer (names are withheld to protect the innocent) and they responded very well to my labor of days and nights (seven hundred thirty-three board frames). Welling up with the ocular devices there. Great compliment paid to this old storyboard dog. They asked before the pitch, "What do you think?" meaning, about the material. Making these things you wonder if the people doing sequences for you are into the characters.

"I was having fun doing the sequence."

"That counts," We both agree. And away I went and pitched. Actually, I had a time just trying to assemble the darned thing--tech issues cropped up like so many third act complications. But in the end the pitch was everything I had hoped it would be. A very good vote of confidence afterward. All a story guy could ask for.

Sigh.

Now, if all these pitches were like this.


Pendragon Bookstore
Rooz Cafe





8 Comments:

Blogger J said...

Great post Ronnie. Story dog, young old, or otherwise, it's great to get things you can invest in, things, as an artist, you believe in. In my experience, that's when things get dicey and the stomach fills with butterflies as the stakes raise. It's encouraging to hear that that's going on at Pixar, that rhetoric aside, where artists get to make art in a business where that isn't always the case.

8:21 PM

 
Blogger Amelia Lorenz said...

It makes my day hearing about your storyboard pitch, so thank you very much for sharing. Anything like that gets me on a buzz-even if I don't know what the project is or who it was pitched to...That's part of the fun of it, I think, is guessing what the pitch was! I'm doing my Senior Project on storyboarding and am having a buncha fun creating the story.
See you at SketchCrawl!

a

10:28 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Ronnie,

I stopped by Pendragon a few months back. I saw Paper Bisquits displayed. The sales lady (I forgot your name)told me that she loves the book and does very good sales.

We both commented that your books give tribute to Piedmont/College Ave area as you add local flavor to your books like the Gaylord Coffee sketch and other street scenery which we recognized. It is great that the book is finding interest in places other than comic/illustration book stores.

cK

9:11 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'll raise my glass to you pitch, Master Ronnie.
But i'll empty it thinking of how bad mine went....

;)

r.

12:26 PM

 
Blogger Chad Kerychuk said...

Glad to hear your pitch went well! Your storytelling and oratory skills seemed near perfect when you were in Banff so I have no doubt you wowed unnamed leaders!

Which reminds me, I recall hearing you saw Paper Bisuit in a store in Banff or Lake Louise. Was that true?

1:21 PM

 
Blogger Ronnie said...

J--it's always art/commerce, that necessary beast. Pixar's been the best place to have this very fortunate career as story person I'm enjoying. And it's not always a joy, as you know. It all comes down to John Lassiter, Ed Catmull and Steve Jobs. They allow for this playgrouund to have the rules be storyteller centric, not entertainment executive led.

But at the forefront of my current surge is the project I'm working on. I'd single these individuals who're the apex of the production, but that would be too telling. I'm fortunate to be working for/with the two nicest people here.

Gush.

Amelia--Good luck on your journey as a story person. It is a buzz. I'll see you at Sketchcrawl.

Charles--Thanks, I try to find spots for the local flavor to seep in. Actually, Nina tends to haunt Piedmont Avenue more often than not. Good to see you and your wife at Super 7. Hello to all.

Rodolphe--Picthes. Those darned pitches. No telling how they go. I hope the next one goes better. I've had my share of bombs. The law of averages catches up and I have room only for the good ones to remember. The bad ones, they didn't happen.

Chad--You flatter me. But do go on. Now, I don't remember mentioning that I saw the books up there. But maybe I was wishing I did. Although I did leave a few copies of the books at the Banft Center. Hope you found my last rant at you thoroughly confusing.

R.

11:18 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was wondering if any techniques or certain abilities for watercolor and masking on painter 8.


P.S.
I really want to combine watercolor, acrylic, and color pencil on painter.

12:24 PM

 
Blogger Pusha V said...

Nice job! Keep it up.

12:27 PM

 

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